One of the important revelations today: the Phillies should finish the season under the $178 million luxury tax threshold, meaning they won't incur a 30 percent penalty if they exceed it next year. Instead, that figure will be 17.5 percent. That's important, because the Phillies could very well go over.

Right now, they have $138.35 million guaranteed to 10 players. I'm projecting a $2.75 million arbitration salary for Nate Schierholtz, with Scott Hairston as my comparable, and I'm projecting $1.5 million for Antonio Bastardo. The Phillies usually sign a utility player for about $600,000 and a backup catcher for $800,000. Along with Domonic Brown, John Mayberry Jr., Vance Worley, Josh Lindblom and Jake Diekman, all of whom should make right around the minimum, the Phillies would have about $146.12 million going to 19 players.